WTA player says ‘f*** you’ to tennis community in surprise early retirement announcement

Australian tennis player Destanee Aiava unleashed an expletive-laden rant at parts of the tennis community as she announced 2026 would be her last year on the WTA tour.

The World No.236 is only 25 but described tennis as like her ‘toxic boyfriend’ in an Instagram post revealing her decision to retire from the sport.

“2026 will be my final year on tour playing professional tennis,” Aiava started.

“From the moment I had my first lesson at Casey Tennis Club, my entire life was tennis. I often wondered what my life would have looked like if I’d chosen anything else and whether everything I sacrificed for this sport was actually worth the cost.

“There was a time in my career when I had reached the point that comes just before you make your big breakthrough, when the world is at your feet and nothing can touch you.

“I was only 17, unprepared and dangerously naive to the consequences of trusting the wrong people.

“The trajectory of my career was never the same after that.

“Sometimes I kept playing because I felt like I owed it to not only myself, but to everyone who had helped me throughout my career, to try and get back to where (on paper) I belonged. Other times I kept going because I was too scared to start again.

“Or I was bored. I also didn’t know who I was outside of tennis and what my true passion was. I was constantly looking for that thing that gave me grief. In other words, tennis was my toxic boyfriend.”

Aiava proceeded to launch into a tirade against the tennis community who she felt had made her feel less than welcome.

“I want to say a ginormous f**k you to everyone in the tennis community who’s ever made me feel less than,” she said.

“Fk you to every single gambler who’s sent me hate or death threats. F* you to the people who sit behind screens on social media, commenting on my body, my career, or whatever the f*** they want to nitpick.

“And f*** you to a sport that hides behind so-called class and gentlemanly values. Behind the white outfits and traditions is a culture that’s racist, misogynistic, homophobic and hostile to anyone who doesn’t fit its mould.”

Aiava reached a career-high ranking of 147 in September 2017 but never made it past the second round of a grand slam.

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